More flooding in Matlock prompts questions over housing and infrastructure

Torrential rains fell on the town for a relatively short period on the evening of Saturday, July 8, and by the time the water had rolled off the hills around the town, it overwhelmed areas around Matlock Green and the A615 Bakewell Road between Crown Square and Dimple Road, and caused problems at many other properties along the way.

The water carried with it leaves, tree branches, manhole covers, gravel and rubble from road surfaces damaged in the storm, leaving Derbyshire County Council, the lead authority for flooding and drainage, to launch a major clean-up operation the following day.

Councillor Charlotte Cupit, cabinet member for highways assets and transport, visited the town with council leader Barry Lewis and other agency partners on Monday to see the aftermath for themselves and talk to roperty owners and local businesses.

She said: “Following the very warm weather last week, we experienced unexpectedly intense rainfall across Derbyshire as the weather turned cooler on Saturday night. Due to the steep hills surrounding Matlock town centre, and the extreme volumes of rainwater, the thunderstorm caused some surface water flooding.

“Our teams are out and about patching sections of road damaged during the storm and replacing manhole covers lifted by the intense rainfall. We have also been busy clearing the debris washed in to the road drains during the storm in readiness for any further thunderstorms.”

She added: “Recognising the challenges caused by flooding, we are encouraging Derbyshire residents and businesses to register for our flood grant scheme by sharing their details with us by emailing [email protected]. I’d like to thank local residents and businesses for their patience and support following the exceptional weather conditions.

“We’ll continue to work with a number of partners, including Severn Trent Water and the Environment Agency, to identify a long term solution to tackle flash flooding issues in Matlock town centre.”

The county council is also asking those affected by Saturday night’s storm to contact the flood team via the email address above to help document the episode and build a clear picture of how it unfolded.

Major flooding incidents have become an increasingly common feature of life in Matlock in recent years, and heavy rainfall is expected to arrive more often if climate breakdown continues on its current trajectory.

Unlike some previous occasions, this time the threat did not come from the river Derwent – where the Environment Agency has been rebuilding a defence wall over the past 18 months – but the rush of water did affect one of its tributaries.

A spokesperson for the agency said: “The flooding in Matlock at the weekend was surface water flooding due to the intensity of the rainfall. There was no flooding from the river or any issues with the Environment Agency flood defence works.

“Following the report of a private boundary wall which had partially collapsed into the Bentley Brook during significant rainfall on Sunday evening, our officers attended the site and found that it would not cause an immediate flood risk. They will look at removing the debris this week.”

One witness, Moyra Wilson, told the Derbyshire Times that the wall of the brook collapsed not due to high water already in the channel, but because of water flowing over the riverbank from an adjacent car park.

Surface water flooding occurs when the volume of rainwater falling cannot drain away through existing drainage systems or by filtering into the ground, and some residents have expressed a mix of surprise and concern that the worst of it occurred in an area where Severn Trent has been working for several months to upgrade its pipe and sewer network, much of which dates back to the Victorian era.

Zelia Lockett, waste team manager at Severn Trent, said: “We’re really sorry to hear about the effects of the heavy rain, as we know just how devastating any type of flooding can be.

“We are continuing to proactively manage our network in Matlock and working with local stakeholders and multiple agencies – including the local highways authority and Environment Agency – to find a long-term solution the issue of flooding in the town.”

That effort includes an electronic monitoring project currently under way, with sensors placed in drains across the town to properly assess the volume of water entering the system and determine whether additional capacity is needed.

For many affected by the floods, the evidence of their own eyes is all they need, and the biggest contributor to the problem is obvious.

In the Tipsy Toad cocktail bar, on Bakewell Road, this time the flooding occurred so quickly that there was no chance to put out the basic defences they keep at the ready, so the water rushed in around the Saturday night crowd of customers.

A spokesperson for the business said: “Five floods in four years. Every single time, we bounce back, supported by the best staff and local community, thank you. But we flood so often for a reason.

“Drains can't cope with the infrastructure of the town, and this is a direct result of council approved houses being built on green land. Concrete doesn't soak up water like soil.

“Enough is enough. We need to put pressure on our local council to stop this from happening to us, to every other person, home, and business that is at risk of flooding at a moments notice.”

Planned developments including more than 400 new homes on the site known as the Wolds, and 75 more on the other side of Chesterfield Road – all uphill from the town centre and Bentley Brook – have long been criticised for the likely impact on flood risk, despite developers’ assurances, and could now become a test case for the new council administration’s approach to planning policy.

Derbyshire Dales MP Sarah Dines said: “The frustration and devastation that those businesses and individuals are feeling following another flood in Matlock is palpable. Whilst I am pleased I was able to work with multiple agencies and secure funding for the work currently being done to improve the flood defences of the river, clearly more needs to be done to improve the drains in Matlock.

“We know this is a problem now, but can you imagine how bad this problem could be if the Gritstone Road development on the Wolds was allowed to happen? I have publicly come out against this development for a multitude of reasons, not least, that I believe the development would increase water run-off, further risking floods in the bottom of the town.

“I have publicly put pressure on the former Conservative administration to stop this development and now I am placing pressure on the controlling Liberal Democrat led alliance at the district council to stand by their election pledges and immediately stop the development. Of course, I am also putting pressure on the County Council to recognise the highways and drain impacts of this development, but the power to prevent this development does now lie firmly with the district council.”

Town and district councillor Steve Wain, a Liberal Democrat who has served as Matlock’s flood warden for the past four years, was also out surveying the damage and speaking to those affected this week.

He said: “While the current administration, which has been in place for ten weeks, cannot be held responsible for previous council decisions, the issue of flooding in Matlock is being taken extremely seriously. We absolutely appreciate the trauma that such incidents cause to businesses, the community and our town. I can promise the district council will continue to work with the appropriate agencies to try to mitigate this serious problem.

“It is important local people understand however that prime responsibility rests with Severn Trent for foul sewerage, the Environment Agency in respect of the River Derwent and Bentley Brook and Derbyshire County Council as the lead local flood authority with responsibility for surface water.”

He added: “For clarity, the issue over the weekend was the surface water infrastructure. The deluge overwhelmed the surface water system and accumulated in the town centre. It flooded properties and then drained away fairly quickly once it had stopped raining. So the current issue is mainly one for the county council, with whom we continue to work in partnership, particularly through the Matlock and Upper Derwent Flood Partnership.

“With regard to concerns expressed locally about the possible impact of any future housing developments in the town, the progressive alliance administration has made it clear we will be taking a new approach to the ongoing Local Plan review, with the emphasis on protecting the environment, creating sustainable communities through energy efficient housing that meets the local need and is built in the right locations, making sure that proper infrastructure supports new and existing development.”

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